The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-08-17
Gov. Lowry interviewed.
Memphis Ayalanebe.l

breezy grounds OF the SapiSoi anu IL
al together pleasant place to VISIT oil q
hot afternoon. 1t is comfortably but
plainly furnished in keeping with the
Jeffersonian simplicity that should |
characterize a Democratic admlhlstra-
ton. This idea is confirmed by the
Governor himself, who puts on no airs |
and is much more easily approached |
than a hotel clerk with a new Rhine |
stone solitaire. He is a heap better |
looking than our Bob Taylor, though at
least fifteen years older, and has steady
blue eve and firm chin that denotes a
will Of his own. More than this, he has
the appearance of a gentleman born,
and his manners bear out the impress
sion. The wandering Avalanchian found
him pouring over q memorandum dot
ted with columns of figures, represent
ing amounts big enough to stagger any
body but a Governor or newspaper
man. The representative OF q great
State gave the representative of a great
journal courteous reception punctua-
ted with implied interrogation points.
He didn't ask ''to what am | indebted
for this honorP but he looked 1t.
Hayiug been on terms of intimacy with
more or less Governors, mostly less, :he
visitor lost no time in answering that
unspoken query. 1t Is safest to do TINS
when the Governor is a pretty good
chunk of a man with steady blue eye
and square chin. The temperature OF
Gov. Iowry's manner fell fully nifty
degrees when he was told that the
A Talanche wished to interview him.
The emissary of the metropolitan press
| had been very warm the moment before,
| hut the air now became so chilly that he
1onoad for the dust covered ulster that
hing ON the wall in his humble home.
| at is certainly surprising to me, SAID
| the statesman with frigld indignation,
'sthat a Memphis paper should want an
axnression of my views on any SUBJECT.
| When all of them have acted so scanda-
lnnsIv with regard to this State govern
| ment. and that, too, in the discussion OF
matters of which they know nothing,
ond have not sought to inform them
selves s'They got their information, L
toIa II from certain little whlpper-
sr,aT,er newspapers of this State" The
oo~rasnondent murmured that 1T was
,,oss;bIe the papers had been misinform-
ed IT pays to murmur something OF
tbat sort when dealing with high
| oficiaI who comes from lighting family.
Tbo fIovernor swept off this oil from the
face of the troubled waters and pro-
caedad 81 should like to know by what
right a newspaper published outside OF
sStata abuses set of gentlemen IN
that state when neither its interest nor
the facts of the case give a shadow OF
excuse f0l uoing so.---Nhw t'serNt SsisS
CORRESPONDENT of the Appeal interviewed
me and number of other gentlemen In
Jackson. and then published in his paper
A lot OF STUFF THAT MIsREPREsENrED
what was said to him" The visitor
suggested meekly that the Appeal man
was from all accounts green hand, and
he probably got things mixed without
intending to do anything wrong. inter-
viewing. as the Governor was informed,
is an art. and has to be learned IKE
horse-shoeing or drawing to three OF
kind. "No doubt" said he, with robust
sarcasm "but how is anybody to know
that newspaper will even print faith
fully what the interviewer sends 1t.
That Appeal correspondent stated alter
his matter was published, that 1t was
not printed as he sent it." The Governor
was assured that the great and good
Avalanche would die rather than "cook"
correspondence to the detriment of any
BODY. Somehow this statement failed to
carry conviction with it, for his Excel
lency observed: 81 don't read the Mem
phis papers regularly. In fact scarcely
ever see one unless somebody sends me
a COPY with a marked article, and there
fore know as little as L care about their
general conduct" After this remark
your correspondent did not feel mad at
the Governor any more. tie only telt
sorry for him. Many allowances should
be make for people who don't read the
Avalanche regularly. They cont be
expected to keep up with the process
sion.
at was your paper" continued Gov
Lowry, "that made that sweeping charge
that the government of Mississippi was
| mainly in the hands of corrupt men. 1t
gave no name but recklessly condemned
without any knowledge of the facts,
gentlemen whose integrity has never
been questioned by any responsible
authority in or out of the State. Speak
ing for myself, the publications that have
been made cannot hurt me. / am able
and ready to give an account OF my
official conduct to the people of Missis
sippi whenever they demand it, but |
certainly shall not choose newspapers
| published in another State as the medium
| of communication, and permit me to say
| that / think it rather a cheeky proceed
| ing for Memphis paper to ask it of me"
The correspondent frankly admitted the
cheek, but claimed that he needed it in
| his business. The Governor was further
informed tho. the Avalanche made no
Wal vn the State administration, but
was fighting the penitentiary lease sys-
tenn and was necessarily compelled to
crlticise its supporters
"The system in Mississippi" said Gov.
ALowry, sis
MORE HUMANE THAN IN TENNESSEE,
where the convicts are EMPLOYED in
mines. Here they are worked in the
open air and at labor that does not hurt
free men. | have no doubt that there
have been cases of cruelty here and
there. 1t could scarcely be otherwise
when we have about 1000 convicts to
look after. The State has provided safe
guards against the abuse of these people
in the shape of Board of Control, com
posed of well known and reputable
citizens, aided by a physician who is
second to none in his professional and
personal standing"
'What about the report of the Kinds
county grand juryT'
"You have read that and the report of
the Board of Control. Judge between
them for yourself" After a moments
pause the Governor resumed.
"As to the condition of the convicts
found in the hospital, let me say that
many of them arrive at the penitentiarv
IN bad plight, caused by Tying a long
time in the county jails awaiting trial.
While in these jails they are not COM
PEELED to keep themselves clean or
observe the laws of health, and this
state of affairs coupled with the natural
effects OF long congnement and the bad
sanitary candition of the iails, results in
diseases that in many cases make wrecks
OF them before the lessees ever see them.
This is especially true of negro prisoners.
The Board of Control recommended the
pardon of nine of these sick convicts.
not because they had been cruelty
treated, but because they were afflicted
with incurable Diseases
~ nat Is there in this talk about the
INCREASE IN THE STATES DEBrTi
There has been an increase of the
debt" replied the Governor. And he
added with marked emphasis, 81 can
make the most ignorant negro under
stand 1t in tell minutes, but don't pro-
pose to discuss the matter with you.
by the way, nouce Unat you are having
little investigation in that line at
nome; Some of your Memphis officials
nave been indicted, haven't they? Seems